Life's Doorstep
by LaDyFiCtIoN
Summary: Everyone may know of the relationship, but it is still only theirs. Sasuke is a ninja to his village and a lover to Naruto. Their lives are stormy but they still manage to keep each other warm at night. [Yaoi, SasuNaru]


Happy Birthday Hillary!

You said you wanted a SasuNaru cuddle…and I tried so hard to make it romantic…I hope you love it, all the same.

The AN in the end will explain it all.

**Disclaimer:** Nothing.

**-Life's Doorstep- **

Thankfully, winter only came once a year. The wind rustled through the icicles, hardened in every tree – the howling sound, even without the cold, was enough to send shivers down the spine. It picked up and relented, the dying remnants of a storm passed; the snow continued cascading to the ground but only lightly now. The worst had passed. The morning was just as bitter as the night; even so, Sasuke opened the balcony door and let the frosty temperature chill him.

''Sasuke! Close the damn door or I won't let you come back into bed, let alone cuddle!'' There was a holler; it was from Naruto, bundled in a thick comforter, standing far enough away from the door to avoid the cold.

No grunt, no stoic _hn_ – there was no response.

They could both feel it though, suddenly, just as much as they could feel the cold seeping into the room, someone was approaching the apartment.

The wind blew wickedly one last time, a shrill scream engulfed by the snow banks, before an unpleasant calm loomed over both the room and the outdoors. The barrier was open; the separation between both worlds no longer protected them. They were no longer lovers, but shinobi, in that instant.

The pout curled into Naruto's lips became a thin line, and Sasuke's eyes were red again, glowing more brightly than the morning sun.

The nights never lasted long enough and the days never ended.

''Good morning, boys...'' Kakashi smiled, but neither could see it.

It was fake, anyway.

Sasuke did not even flinch. He stood, in a loose shirt, and pants, enduring the frost that threatened to numb his stance. Naruto had stepped closer, not to warm Sasuke, or search for more warmth; he willingly stood against the cold without protest. They were lined up, without question, waiting for their orders. It happened just like that, their demeanors could change faster than the horrid weather.

''I'll skip the pleasantries, then.'' The former teacher said, and his past charges nodded.

Business. Missions. Work. Duty. Scrolls. Danger. Blood. Death.

The messenger was curt – his visit straightforward.

Kakashi disappeared, after the delivery, into the renewed wind, his scarf trailing behind him. It flickered as the gust propelled it, and so did the stern expression on Naruto's face, as those words irked him.

''Stupid old hag!'' He kicked the door shut, promptly ending their unspoken war against the cold.

The room was still chilly, as was Sasuke's somber visage.

''She can't do that to you. Not today. She can't take back her words. She promised. That-''

''Stop.'' The Uchiha snorted at the tirade of anger and useless repetitions. Naruto was still himself, after all, always acting like that, one moment, serious, the next, overly emotional. Sasuke was very much like the snow, and that was where he was going.

''There's no point.'' He sighed, and from beside him, Naruto did as well.

He was right.

''I'll get you a blanket.''

Naruto returned with a thick comforter, but it was only shrugged off. ''I don't-''

There was a frown and a disappointed grumble but no sign of conceding. Naruto did not let him finish. ''But you're frozen, I can tell.''

Sasuke took the blanket, only to toss it aside. ''I don't want-''

''Stop being so damn stubborn and spend time with me before you have to-'' Naruto glared, his blue eyes upset; however, his protest as well, was interrupted.

''I want yours.''

Sasuke found the entrance instantly; he pulled apart the mass of bundling in Naruto's hands and slid in closer, until their skin touched and erupted in shivers. He warmed his hands against a shivering back, and let softer hands stroke his own. No one was watching now, the moment was theirs again. He listened as Naruto's breathing hitched for a moment, when his cold face nuzzled the skin there. They fell back into proper place – each other's arms, a warm embrace, under the covers, cuddling, even as the winter and their other life loomed right outside the doorway.

**-EndE- **

See, there is romantic cuddling. Sasuke won't let anyone see him indulge, except Naruto. I wanted to parallel the storm, with the life of a shinobi. That kinda didn't work out so well. I can't really explain this…I wanted to show two sides of their lives and have that type of scenario play out against a harsh, wintry background. I'll shut up now. I'm not making sense.


End file.
